TRIPOLI, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Libyan army units on Saturday carried out extensive sweeps in the region known as the "oil crescent" in north Libya to monitor movements of IS members, according to a military source.
"Patrols of army units are securing desert areas of the oil crescent region, in search of IS fighters," an army officer told Xinhua.
"These patrols will continue for several days. They are carried out with support of the air force, which launched successful air strikes in the past few days and destroyed IS sites near oil fields and ports," the officer added.
"These operations are important, as information indicates that IS militants plan to attack army forces protecting the oil fields and ports," he said.
A military source told Xinhua that the air force on Wednesday carried out air raids on IS sites near Sirte, killing dozens of militants and destroying all of their equipment.
Forces allied with the UN-backed government, backed by U.S. air force, defeated IS affiliates in the city of Sirte, some 450 east the capital Tripoli, in December 2016. The remaining terrorists fled to southern valley and mountain areas.
